Ore separator



Oct. 23, 1934. N. GOLDBERG- 1,977,909

ORE SEPARATOR Fild Nov. 19. 1951 In/vanto@ @aj/L72 faefg.

Patented Oct. 23, 1934 UNire STATES 1,977,909 om: sEPARA'roR Nathan Goldberg, Denver, Colo.

Application November 19,I 1931, Serial No. 576,946'

1 Claim.

This invention relates to improvements in mashines for separating metallic particles from nonmetallic particles or gangue and. has reference more particularly to a machine for separating gold from auriferous sands and gravels.

It is well known that there exists in the arid parts of this and other countries immense deposits of sand and gravel that contain gold, but owing to the absence of water it has heretdfore been impractical to properly treat these gold bearing sands and gravels so as to separate the metallic values from the nonmetallic ones.

It is the object of this invention to produce .a machine oi a simple construction that can be readily transported and which can be operated with a small amount of power, and, which in addition is so designed and constructed that the water that is used in its operation can be used over and over again and in this way it is possible to handle a large amount of material with a small amount oi water, which adapts this machine especially for use in arid regions where water is scarce.

This invention, briefly described, consists of a supporting frame work whose lower portion is provided with a tank. A sluice is provided which `is inclined from one end to the other and means is provided for depositing gravel and water at the upper end thereof. Located underneath the lower end of the sluice and directly above the tank is a rile box. rThis rifile box is inclined in the direction of its length and is suspended from a rod located above in such a way that it can be rocked transversely. The riffle box is provided with transversely extending riffles. Located directly beneath the discharge end of the riie box is a receptacle that is adapted to receive the discharge from the riiiie box and this receptabe is provided with means for straining the material so that only the water passes through into the tank. The machine is provided with a pump which can beoperated either by hand or by power derived from an engine and this returns the water to the upper end of the sluice.

, `When the pump is operated the rifile box is rocked about its pivot by means of a crank and connecting rod.

Having thus briefly described the invention,

. the same will now be described in detail and for this purpose reference will be had to the accompanying drawing in which the preferred embodiment thereof has been illustrated, and in which:

Fig. l is a side elevation of the machine, parts being broken away to better disclose the construction;

Fig. 2 is an end elevation looking in the direction of arrow 2 in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section taken on line 3 3, Fig. l;

(Cl. Zul-149) and Fig. 5 is a section through the tank showing the receptacle nested therein.

The machine that forms the subject of this invention consists of a frame work having parallel longitudinally extending angle irons 6 whose ends are connected by transverse angle irons 7. Extending upwardly from the two corners on one side are vertical supports 8 and on the other side correspondingly spaced vertical supports 9. The Vertical supportsf are somewhat taller `than those designated by reference numeral 9 and have their upper ends connected by meansv of an angle iron l0. The upper ends of the shorter supports 9 are connected by means of an angle iron 1l. A rectangular tank 12 is provided withinthe frame and rests on the inturned anges of frame members 6 and 7. Angle irons 13 extend around the frame at the upper edge of the tank and serve to reenforce the latter.v Angle irons and 13 are connected on one side by means of a bar 14 to which a bracket 15 is secured; At one end of the frame a sheet metal plate 16 extends between theangles 10 and 13 and to this another bracket `15a is connected. Brackets 15 and 15a are provided with bearings in which the shaft 17 is journaled.v Onev end of shaft 17is provided with a crank disk 18 and the other 4with a pulley 19. The disk 18 has acrank pin V20 to which one end of the connecting rod 21 is connected. Secured to the plate 16 is ajstub shaft 22 on which is mounted for rotation two pulleys 23 and 24.

yThese pulleys are connected by a tubular hub 25 and are held againstlongitudinal movement by y Fig. 4 is a section taken on line Lintl, Fig. 3; l Y

means of a washer 26 or other suitable means.

The pulley 23` has been vshown-as provided with a handle 27by means of which it can be turned manually. A belt 28 connects pulleys 19 and 24 in the manner shown invFigs. l and 2. Secured to the tank directly beneath the pulley 23 is arotary pump 29. This'isconnected with the inside ofthe tank and the rotor shaft 30 is provided with .a pulleyBl that `is connected to the pulley 23 by means of a belt32. A pipe33 extends from the connected with the upper end of the sluice. When the pump is operated, it will transfer wa'- ter from the tank to the sluice135 and this water will flow downwardly-along the sluice in the manner which will be described hereinafter.

The sluice is supported at its upper end on the outer end of a transverse frame member 36 and extends downwardly along the outside of the discharge port Yofthe'pump to a nozzle 34 that is frame work where it is supported on the outer end ,a f

of a frame member 37. After passing the memframe members.

and is supported at its opposite ends by transverse Supported by rod 38 is a riiiie box 39. This box has a substantially flat bottom portion 40 and upwardly and outwardly inclined sides 41. The bottoms and sides are pressed inwardly as shown in Fig. 4 so as to provide transverse riiiies 42. substantially perpendicular to the bottom and the lower walls are inclined. Attached to the sides are supporting members having two arms 43 and 44. These arms cometogether at the top and are provided with a hook 45 that/receives the rod 38. The bottom of the rime box is provided with a pair of lugs 461 between which the connecting rod 21 is pivoted. When shaft 1'7 is rotated, the crank reciprocates the connecting rod 21 and this in turn rocks the riie box about the axis of the supporting rod38. The rile box is downwardly inclined,- and'its `upper end is located below the lower end of the sluice so that the material that is discharged from the sluice is deposited near the upper end of the rife box. For the purpose Vof directing the material into the sluice, a hopper 46 has'been provided. 'This is supported by means of bars 47 whose lower ends are con- Y nected to the sides of the sluice. Located within the tank is a receptacle having triangular sides 48 and 49 and an end member 50. The sides and end members are connected by means of a bottom 51. A longitudinal lsection of the receptacle is a right angle triangle whose hypothenuse is substantially equal `-to the 'distance between the transverse frame members at the top of the tank. The upper end of the end member is provided with a hook 52 and the other end of the base is yprovided with a corresponding hook 53. When the receptacle is in place it is supported by the two hooks in the manner shown in Fig. A1. When `the machine is not'in use, the receptacle can be placed within the tank in the manner shown in Fig. 5. When the parts are in the position shown in Fig.

5 the inside of the Vtank can beused for storing the parts during'transportation and shipment. The pump, belt, wheels, chute, riflle box, etc., are removed during 'shipment and when placed inside of the tank produce a package that is convenient for handling. The end wall and the lower end -of the bottom are provided rwith openings 54 through which the water may iiow vfrom the re# ceptacle into the tank and in order to prevent the `sand and gravel from clogging these openings, a

spacer plate 55 is provided. The upper end of The upper walls of the riilles arev to the upper end of the sluice. Gravel or sand from the hopper is deposited in the sluice and this is carried by the water and deposited in the rile box near the upper end of the same. The riiile box is rocked transversely by the action of the crank and connecting rod and therefore the gangue and mineral matter are agitated whereupon the heavier particles gravitate downwardly and are ydeposited on the bottom of the riille box and accumulate above the riilles. The water and gangue that is discharged from the riie box falls into the receptacle where the water is separated and passes into the tank from'which it is again removed by the pump and deposited at the upper end of the sluice, thereby using the water over and over. again until it is exhausted. When the receptacle is filled with gangue material, it is emptied and the operation continued. Sand such as desert sand contains a large amount of gold of the type known of this machine any flour gold that may float :away with thewater will accumulate within the tank and by skimming the water from time to time, this flour gold can be saved.

I want to call particular'attention to the rii'lle box employed in connection with this machine .because it has been found to be exceptionally efficient and this eticiency is due to the shape and the fact that it is rocked transversely about an axis located above 'the top of the sand. Y

Having .described the invention what is claimed as new is:

In a device for separating valuable metals from ore and of the type in which the ore is passed over a rile box and in which the water is separated from the ore and reused, means for .separating the water from the ore comprising, a storage tank of rectangular construction, and a receiving tank having two parallel sides of triangular shape, one angle of which is substantially ninety degrees, a bottom and one side, the side forming the hypothenuse of the triangular sides being the top, the bases of the triangular sides being somewhat shorter than the length of the storage tank andthe'width of the separating tank being somewhat less th'an the wid-th of the storage tank 

